December 13, 1969 - The Sox deal their star left hander Gary Peters to the Red Sox for Syd O’Brien and Billy Farmer. Farmer retired instead of reporting, so as compensation the Sox received Jerry “Wheat Germ Kid” Janeski. Peters would win 33 games in the next three seasons. Janeski won ten in 1970 then was shipped to Washington for Rick Reichardt.

December 13, 1982 - The White Sox outbid 16 other major leagues teams and sign free agent pitcher Floyd Bannister to a five year, 4.5 million dollar deal. Bannister led the American League in strikeouts in 1981. In his five seasons with the Sox, Bannister won in double figures every year with a high of 16 wins in both 1983 and 1987. His signing angered Yankee owner George Steinbrenner who wasn’t used to losing out on talent that he wanted. Steinbrenner was quoted as saying that he “regretted” voting against Edward DeBartolo in his bid to buy the Sox franchise from Bill Veeck, back in 1980.

December 13, 2001 - In his quest to find reliable starting pitching Sox G.M. Ken Williams offers youngsters Kip Wells and Josh Fogg and veteran Sean Lowe to the Pirates for Todd Ritchie. Ritchie would suffer a shoulder injury and have a disastrous 2002 Sox season going 5 - 15 with an ERA of over six! A free agent, the Sox let him go soon afterwards. In fairness to Williams, none of the pitchers he gave up really asserted themselves over the ensuing seasons, Fogg perhaps coming the closest to making an impact.

Britt Burns

12-12-2006, 09:57 PM

one great deal, one fair-to-poor deal, and one terrible deal all on the same date...Todd Ritchie, ugh!

Brian26

12-12-2006, 10:13 PM

December 13, 1982 - The White Sox outbid 16 other major leagues teams and sign free agent pitcher Floyd Bannister to a five year, 4.5 million dollar deal.

Just a contract question that popped into my head the other day regarding Bannister- The Sox signed him to a five year deal, and he played with them from '83 to '87. However, after the 1987 season, they traded him to Kansas City for a bunch of prospects, including Melido Perez and Greg Hibbard. How did the Sox have rights to trade Bannister after the '87 season since he had contractually fulfilled his 5th year. Wasn't he due to be a free agent? Or was there an extension signed at some point with the Sox prior to the end of '87? Bannister would have logged in, by the end of '87, at least eight or nine years of MLB service time, so I can't imagine he was just arbitration eligible after the season.